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Camp Champions providing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a full summer camp experience

Camp For All played host to Camp Champions this week, providing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the full summer camp experience.

BURTON, Texas — Camp For All in Burton, Texas, is a barrier-free summer camp that has been transforming lives for 30 years. 

This week they welcomed campers with intellectual and developmental disabilities for camp champions.

"I think one of the really unique things camp provides for campers is an opportunity to connect with people that they may never have had that connection with," Camp For All Director Allen McBride said. "What's unique about Camp For All is that we all have these stories and different things we bring from home and we get to bring that to camp."

One of those campers is David Hernandez, who has been attending Camp Champions since 1998. When he first started attending, he was hesitant and uncomfortable, but now he loves participating in camp activities.

"My favorite activities at camp are fishing, swimming, archery, and paintball," Hernandez said. "One of my favorite memories was when I did a bullseye last year."

With activities like fishing, horseback riding, archery, and more, Camp Champions at Camp For All gives campers the ability to get the traditional summer camp feel with all types of modern amenities.

"Camp For All is a little bit different in that we adapt all of our activities to the campers' specific needs," McBride said. "If a camper may not be able to climb up the challenge course, we can adapt that to get them to the top to be able to go down the zipline. We don't focus on what the campers can't do. We focus on what they can do."

Next week the Periwinkle Foundation will be at Camp For All with children and their siblings who are undergoing treatment at Texas Children's Hospital. 

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